Flying to Sumatra Island!

Jakarta Day 5 (Padang)
I was so sleepy as we left the hotel at 4:30AM today and I was working till around 2:30AM... Just with about an hour and a half of sleep, we headed to the airport.

It was the first time ever for me to fly with Garuda Indonesia, but we safely made it to Padang of West Sumatra.

coastline of Padang City

At Padang, we tried to go through many residential areas on the coastline and asked people about tsunamis. Just as I heard at BMG and Bandung, people were saying they were afraid of the prediction that a large tsunami will attack on the 23rd.
I knew this was BS, but it's also true that any large earthquake can hit this nation, so of course a large one can hit on the 23rd, or perhaps today!

they were in the middle of the Islamic festival - Idul Adha
killing beasts for sacrifice...


having Padang food was the only recreation!

We flew back to Jakarta and worked till late in the night. This is my last night at Jakarta, and I hope I had enough to make a report... I hope...

flying with Garuda Indonesia... phew... made it back safely!

Dead meet...

Jakarta Day 4 (Bandung)
It was one of the worst days of my life... yeah, again!

We started out early in the morning and arrived in Bandung in about 2 hours. I think I caught a cold, as I was coughing and it surely was because of the cold air conditioning of the hotel...

At Bandung, my target was the tsunami research at ITB. There were students still studying, and it was great I could visit an university with a high profile history.

here we are at ITB!

As we were filming inside the building, the massive rain started to pour outside! After we started heading back to Jakarta, the road turned into a river!

washing their way forward!


washing our way forward!

It took us about five hours back to Jakarta including a half hour stop for lunch. I almost peed in my pants as I was so desperate to go to the restroom while we drove on the highway, but there were no stops in Indonesian highways as we often can find in Japan.

Oh, I really thanked God when we were able to stop at a gas station after we left the highway!

I won't forget this gas station... you saved my diginty!

Back at home, I was scolded about many things and I wasted about two hours as the door lock of our bureau was jammed and I couldn't get in... Oh, life sucks when all this kind of bad luck stocks up!

At least I was able to relax and have my favorite meal...

a whopper meal!

A tough challenge...

Jakarta Day 3
Today, I went to a nationwide TV station and back to BMG. It was a tough day that I realized it would be hundered times better if I could speak bahasa Indonesia!

Oh, I'll start with Selamat pagi!

view of Jakarta today...

I had no time to eat neither lunch or dinner today... oh, how busy can this get!? After taking a bath in a busy night at work, I wanted to use the water as much as possible!

yeah... washing your socks and underwear with the water! can't waste this precious "air"!

Starting my coverage!

Jakarta Day 2
Working together with local staff, we started filming in Jakarta. There were so many cars and motorcycles running on the streets!

the target for today and tomorrow... the Indonesian Meteorological Agency, BMG...

I had Padang style food at lunch...

hmm... some taste good, some taste weird...

It was a tough day, but I got along with my staff and I think I got what I need. Finishing off the day having Chinese for dinner with my colleagues at the Jakarta Bureau.

Oh, I gotta roll on!

In Indonesia for the first time!

Jakarta Day 1
Leaving Bangkok at around 8:30AM, I arrived in Jakarta's international airport just after noon. Taking a private cab to town, I wandered around the city before meeting the bureau members still in their way to return from COP13 at Bali.

beautiful shopping center in central Jakarta... everything from Seibu Department Store and cinema complex, along with Burger King, Krispy Kreme Donuts and Starbucks Coffee...

My coverage will start tomorrow and I just hope everything goes well!